The Heavens Declare...

The glory of God and His handiwork!

Last night we were treated to a glorious sunset. After we noticed it, Charif, Penny, and Daniel and I took a quick drive over to the mall and stopped to take a couple of photos. We were exclaiming about the display that God gave and I started to say, "the heavens declare the glory of God and..." when Penny chimed in and quoted the entire passage! Then Charif pulled her pocket Bible out and read the whole chapter. She and Freddy's kids know the Word, and it's because they are living the Word in their home, in their teachings, and by example. I was humbled and blessed!

One month from today!

Pretty fascinating to be loading on a big boat to head for Catalina! Well kids, it's almost time to relive the experience! Can you imagine leaving an infant on a ledge like that in the picture? Eeek. Hold on to your little ones hands, and I promise I won't take my eyes off of you!

Twenty six miles across the sea

Santa Catalina is a-waiting for me

Santa Catalina, the island of

Romance, romance, romance, romance

Water all around it everywhere

Tropical trees and salty air

But for me the thing that's a-waiting is

Romance, romance, romance, romance

It seems so distant twenty six miles away ??

Resting in the waters serene

I'd work for anyone, even the navy

Who would float me to my island green

Twenty six miles, so near yet so far

I'd swim with just some water wings

and my guitar

I would leave the wings,

I could leave the guitar

For romance, romance, romance, romance

A tropical heaven, out in the ocean

Covered with trees and girls

If I have to swim I'll do it forever

Till I'm gazing on those island girls

Forty kilometres in a leaky old boat

Any old thing that'll stay afloat

When we arrive we'll all promote

romance, romance, romance

"We'll never be as old as you are!"

The guy on the left is "our" older brother... he just celebrated his 60th and the six of us met in Palmdale today to honor him. Even though it is Bob's and my birthday today, it was fun to note that "we'll never be as old as he is!" Cruel, but oh so true! What a fun time we had--happy birthday brothers!

36 Years

"Happy times and bygone days are never lost... In truth, they grow more wonderful within the heart that keeps them." --Kay Andrew

How exciting and fun to surprise my husband with a mini-vacation to Hawaii for four days of sunshine, pineapple, sunsets, and aloha magic as we celebrated our 36th anniversary. We talked about our wonderful kids, our beautiful grandchildren, and how good God has been to give us so much. Happy Anniversary honey!

"Our" Birthday

Childhood playmate...

Lifetime Friend...

When you are a twin, you go through life saying "we" and "ours" rather than "mine" and "me." When our birthday approaches, I find myself feeling like it isn't a birthday at all if it isn't shared. Today I thought about my brother, my friend, and what a caring and sharing person he is and how he gives so freely of himself to even perfect strangers. And as I spent most of my day alone today, I thought about what a blessing it is to share our birthday. And what a blessing it is to be able to live even brief moments of life unselfishly. And when I think of the gift that is my brother, I realize that what we knew as children, was a subtle but important life lesson about what is most important in this life, and that is it's always better to share with others.

In this moment, at the end of another of "our" birthdays, I am so grateful for another year and I pray that opportunities will come for me to live unselfishly before my family and all whom the Lord would bring into my life.

The black and white photo is of Bob and I at our 7th birthday on an Uncle's farm in Iowa. Our Aunt Maisy had made us each our own birthday cake, his a buckin' cowboy, mine a fancy doll. We were so proud and so happy. I still remember the sticky meringue frosting she made. I also remember what a giving and serving kind of woman she was...I wanted to be just like her.